At the end of the steps onto a regular trail, this beauty turns and continues down (fourth pic). When partway along, however, noticed that an older, shorter stairway had been extended up one side of the rocks here that are often occupied by rock climbers (as today). There are now 61 steps (pics 5, 6).

From the top of the stairway extension (seventh pic), looking down the other side of the rock before descending, discovered a brand new wooden stairway (68 steps, pix 8, 9, 10, 11).

After you've crossed the footbridge over Islais Creek, you can't miss these two stairways with the rocks above centered between them.

Continued north on the lower trail to where it ends and climbs into the open, noticing some flexi-plastic barriers and stacked tree limbs near the creek, hoping the trail down again wouldn't be blocked. It wasn't. Was able to step across the creek as usual but this time with a view of more of the creek than ever before. Lots of brush-clearing around here lately, with new planting-flags alongside the creek … a hummingbird, bees, plenty of damselflies.

Easily found the "hidden" trailhead to what I call the "North Trail" or "Treelimb Trail," the latter appellation because to start, one has to climb over a few treelimbs that stretch across the trail (12th pic). I love this kinda thing and fervently hope they leave the trail this way. Moving north, blackberry bushes have been trimmed back, making the trail easier to traverse than before, this all the way to the school playing field's locked gate. But then, between the gate and the end of the fence, it was the same rough tangle as when last visited, where I'm obliged to crawl under a branch at one point or get attacked by brambles.

Back up again on a skinny high-trail above the two new stairways (pix 13, 14), picking my way around and down a roughish, rocky wild-radishy trail (pics 15, 16) next to a big round "mat" of green to a wider trail below, then back up the same trail I came down (last pic).

Turned left to take the short trail that's just below Christopher Park, coming out at Amber and Turquoise. From here turned right, uphill, to the top of Duncan, strolling appreciatively through the Police Academy's Little Red Hen Community Garden, out to Diamond Heights Blvd. and my starting point in front of the shopping center.

Between the Presidio's Baker Beach and Lincoln Blvd. are lots of forested trails one can hike (first pic: starting off). Today was a warm, clear Beach Day with plenty of picnickers and nude/clothed people in/out of the water.

Headed up from the picnic area where I could be alone beneath the trees and trek up 'n down the duney trails. Continuing to the east above Battery Chamberlin and over to the top of the first stairway (45 steps down to the beach, second pic) is but a short distance, then a short sand slog to the Sand Ladder's foot (258 steps counted today).

After you've made it to the top of the Sand Ladder (pics 3, 4, 5, 6), just ahead, downhill a bit from the trail along Lincoln (7th pic) to the top of Battery Crosby, you've got the Batteries to Bluffs to look forward to for another good workout …473 steps counted today (pics 8, 9, 10, 11). Partway along the BTB is the offshoot downhill trail (48 or so steps, 12th pic) to Marshall's Beach.

Out at the BTB's east trailhead (13th pic), it's an easy walk to the Golden Gate Overlook (37 steps for the main stairway, last pic).

About halfway along the main Lands End/Coastal Trail, a long flight of stairs (270 or so steps) descends to Mile Rock Beach (first pic). Around the 121st step (second pic), a sandy trail straight ahead will take you to the clifftop viewspot with the beach below (pics 3, 4, 5). If you continue all the way down the stairway (left turn: sixth pic), the secluded rocky beach offers large pieces of wood scattered about to sit on and watch the waves (pics 7, 8, 9, 10).

You can also climb to the viewplace and the Labyrinth (a maze of rocks to walk) from another trail that's nearly to the foot of the stairs (pics 11, 12).

Up at the Coastal Trail/Lands End Trail again, a paved trail here will take you up to one of the paved golf course walkways. There were no golfers anywhere near me and I followed this one (pic 13) out to the Legion of Honor parking lot's west end to descend the uppermost stairway (47 steps, 14th pic) to the El Camino del Mar Trail (pics 15, 16). The whole Lands End area is a delight for the eyes and ears anyway, but especially right now with the scent of wildflowers and tall grasses. Especially on the El Camino del Mar Trail that will take you to the east end of the Upper Parking Lot Overlook.

1. Mile Rock Beach stairway down from Coastal Trail/Lands End Trail

2. Straight ahead for the clifftop viewspot, left for the beach

3. View from the upper trail

4. Above Mile Rock Beach

5. View down from upper trail

6. Down to the Beach

7. Near the foot of the steps

8. Wildflowers and sand

9. Wood and Rocks

10. Foot of the Stairs

11. Up to the viewplace from a trail off the stairway

12. Trail to the Labyrinth

13. Lincoln Park Golf Course trail out to Legion of Honor parking lot

14. West end of Legion of Honor parking lot down to El Camino del Mar Trail

Another former 1906 earthquake refugee shack still being lived in was confirmed a few years ago, recently seen by me a couple days ago for the first time via a short Facebook video.

This one's on Eureka Valley's Saturn stairway (a two-stairway minipark), but the first two houses up the steps have Ord St. addresses. This second one up has long been a favorite but I didn't suspect it was a former refugee cottage. "Then" pix from 2007 before it got a makeover: first two fotos.

The greenery between the two minipark stairways has been trimmed since my last visit and it's now easier to see both stairways together.

At the top of the stairway (118 steps) is the east dead-end of Saturn that will take you up to Roosevelt, or out to Temple/17th Street. To one side is an elevated sidewalk stairway: 41 steps (pics 3, 4, 5, 6).

Out from this is Lower Terrace that curves around to Levant. At the end of Levant, 44 steps ascend to Roosevelt (seventh pic).

From here it's a short distance to Corona Heights Park's west entrance where I saw another one of those colorful new park trailmap signs; and later another at the foot of the long eastside stairway. I guess all the parks are getting 'em. Ol' Rockytop has a couple of long stairways, a dog play area, viewrocks to climb around on, and the Randall Museum with various live critters (being cared for because they were found injured or otherwise unable to survive on their own in the wild). This is a great place to take little kids.

The fenced ramp down to the playground, tennis courts, and community garden, and the States Street entrance below are both currently closed due to construction of a replacement restroom down here.

Today's staircount was 193 steps total for the steps starting up from the nature museum's east side to the summit rocks. Pix 8, 9, 10. Corona's westside stairway up from the Roosevelt side got extended several years ago. For the main one there are about 99 steps: 11th pic.

Circling back down from the park and down Vulcan: 80 Vulcan (north stairway, through up to Levant from Ord), 12th pic. The north stairway is the one counted when doing a staircount (219 steps). One Vulcan (13th pic) starts up the south side from the landing that divides the two stairways.

14th pic: Vulcan's foot at Ord. This stairway, one over from the Saturn steps minipark, is also a must-see. Note the pagoda up ahead between the north and south stairways, center.

Vulcan is the only SF street to have the word "Stairway" after its name, as in Vulcan Stairway (not Place, Lane, etc.)

Down from Vulcan, onto Ord Court with 10 steps leading out to the north dead-end of Douglass. Another stairway here climbs from Douglass to States Street (States starts the Corona Heights 'hood), another way up to the park (last pic).

The #54 bus (I catch it across from the Balboa Park BART station as I do two other buses to points south from here) winds up through the Excelsior 'hood and stops at the Avalon/Athens stairway (99 steps).

What a tail-waggin' delight to discover how the Athens Avalon Greenspace has been transformed: Tiers of golden poppies alongside the stairs. First pic is a "Then" pic from several years ago. Next four pics: April 2013.

This hike was meant to check out this minipark's progress, a new McLaren Park entrance fountain, and then just random middle-ish trails until eventually meandering out to Mansell: no rush!

When able to tear myself away from the Greenspace, continued to the top of the stairway (at Valmar) and downhill a block to the foot of the Peru-to-Valmar stairway (pics 6, 7).

At the top of this rustic delight (77 steps), continuing south a short distance took me to Burrows that runs E-W alongside the park. Here an area was fenced in with work ongoing so detoured east a few yards to the new flower fountain at the Gambier and Burrows entrance (eighth pic). Hadn't been to this part of the park in a while (ninth pic: row of low mosaic seats here).

Behind me to the south beckoned sunny acres of forested and openspaced green rolling hills dotted with wildflowers, so off I went: sometimes minor trails not hiked in a while, other times hitting a main one. Up-and-downed through exhilarating, wild, secluded forest trails and inviting openspaces (pics 10 through 14). As I paused atop one of the many unmarked dirt trails that wind through this breathtakingly gorgeous park, a refreshing breeze rippled the still-green tall grasses in a way that no mere photos could capture; ya had to be there… Do it!

I regularly hike both the Presidio's Batteries to Bluffs Trail and the Connector Trail between Immigrant Point Overlook and Lincoln Blvd. and like to vary the routes used to get there from various bus stops.

The Bay Area Ridge Trail starts at the end of the golf course buildings (off Arguello Blvd.), continues past Andy Goldsworthy's Spire (first pic), and through the forest to the Cemetery Overlook's south entrance. Down the 98 steps on the west side of the Cemetery Overlook (second through sixth pics) to the Park Trail (seventh pic), then under the Fort Scott overpass and to the backs of the residences for a walk through the Community Garden (pix 8, 9, 10). From the garden onto a short trail that leads to Rob Hill Campground, noticed the tire swing on this trail was gone. Looks like the old rope broke as part of it's still hanging from the tree branch.

Immigrant Point Overlook is at the north side of the campground (occupied today). The Connector Trail (208 steps, pics 11 and 12) descends to Lincoln Blvd.

Crossed Lincoln to do the Batteries to Bluffs (Pics 13 and 14, 470-ish steps), its west trailhead a short distance downhill, accessed from atop Battery Crosby.

Visits to favorite streets and stairways in Bernal Heights gives me constant whiplash as I ogle cuuute smaller homes on both sides of this 'hood's narrow streets.

Over on the east side, the main Franconia stairway (extended 2004) is a well-cared-for must-see gardensite with about 103 steps down to Montcalm (first pic).

After briefly admiring the view north from the bench at the Mullen-Peralta minipark (22 steps up the west side), it was up the 103 or so Peralta steps. This starts on Peralta just below Rutledge, crosses Rutledge and climbs to Samoset (pics 2, 3, 4, 5).

Here's one of the top of Esmeralda's southeast stairway, 105-ish steps (sixth pic).

At the east edge of lushly green Bernal Heights Park, paused to check out the newly completed viewgarden at Bernal Heights Blvd. and Carver: Vista Pointe Garden, 10th pic.

Starting down the south side of the hill from the park: Rosenkranz stairway down to Mayflower (11th pic). The top of the older Chapman/Rosenkranz stairway that continues to Bernal Heights Blvd. is visible ahead (center, street sign, left of white truck). Around 55 Prentiss steps (12th pic) descend from the edge of the park at Bernal Heights Blvd. to continue across the street with 27 more Prentiss sidewalk steps down from steep Chapman to Powhattan (13th pic).

On the SE side of the hill is the tall-grass-and-wildflowers Bradford stairway. Bernal's newest, completed in 2010 (78 for the main and 34 more sidewalk steps below that) zigs down to Tompkins from Jarboe (14th pic). This used to be a dirt path I'd take up from the Alemany Farmers Market. South (800 block) end of Moultrie: A neighbor-created gardenspot at the mosaic wall here … and Guardian of a nearby house: pix 15 and 16. More steps recently walked:Peralta (near York) "hidden" gardenwalk up to Wright, about 19 neighbor-made steps and brick walk …Shotwell stairs up from Bessie, 48 steps ...Aztec steps down to Shotwell, 34 steps ...Moultrie from Powhattan up to Bernal Heights Park, 20 or so … Andover down from Bernal Heights Park to Powhattan (about 60 steps, last pic). Bernal has the largest number of public stairways of all SF's neighborhoods; the above is but a partial list.